The Superior Council of Prosecutors (SCP) took note at its meeting on Friday, October 6, of the decree signed by President Maia Sandu on the dismissal of Alexandr Stoianoglo from the position of Prosecutor General. At the same time, the Council decided to start updating the Regulation on the election of the Prosecutor General.

“(…) It was decided to take note of the decree on the dismissal of Alexandr Stoianoglo from the position of Prosecutor General and to start work on updating the Regulation on the election of the Prosecutor General,” said SCP Chair Angela Motuzoc during the meeting.

SCP Chairwoman Angela Motuzoc told Ziarul de Gardă that after updating the Regulation, the Council members will decide whether to announce a competition for the post of Prosecutor General. She said that the current composition of the SCP can initiate the competition.

According to the Law on the Prosecutor’s Office, the candidate for the position of Prosecutor General is selected on the basis of a public competition organised by the SCP, which includes the following stages:

• pre-selection of candidates on the basis of the files submitted;
• the interview before the Superior Council of Prosecutors.

The organisation and conduct of the competition is laid down in a regulation approved by the SCP. The interview stage is transmitted online in real time.

Information on the launch and conduct of the competition is published on the official websites of the General Prosecutor’s Office and the High Council of Prosecutors at least one month before the deadline for the submission of applications.

Candidates are evaluated by each member of the SCP on the basis of “criteria approved by the Council, including the professional training and skills, integrity and other personal qualities of the candidates, with the reasoning of the score awarded to each candidate”. The final score is the average score awarded by all SCP members and is published on the Council’s official website after the competition has ended. The candidate with the highest score is proposed to the President of the Republic of Moldova by the SCP for appointment as Prosecutor General.

Stoianoglo dismissed as Prosecutor General

On 26 September 2023, President Maia Sandu signed a decree dismissing the suspended Prosecutor General Alexandr Stoianoglo. The document entered into force on the same day.

According to a press release issued by the Presidency, “given that the pronouncement of a decision by the courts on the legality of Alexandr Stoianoglo’s dismissal by the SCP is delayed, the signing of the decree comes in the context of the European Union’s recommendations to ensure the replacement of the position of Prosecutor General and the Republic of Moldova’s obligations to meet the conditions of the justice system”.

Lawyers for the former prosecutor general told ZdG that the decree will be challenged in court.

Alexandr Stoianoglo was suspended from the position of prosecutor general in early October 2021 and is being investigated for passive bribery, false statements, abuse of office and exceeding the duties of office. The case concerning the excess of power or overstepping of duties is before the magistrates of the Buiucani Court of Chisinau. The last hearing in this case took place on 20 September 2023, during which a witness was heard. The next hearing is scheduled for 5 December 2023.

Former Prosecutor General Alexandr Stoianoglo was detained on 5 October 2021. On 8 October 2021 he was placed under house arrest and subsequently under judicial control. No preventive measures are currently applied against Stoianoglo.